National Academy of Inventors

The NAI’s sold out 15th Annual Conference would not be possible without the generosity and commitment of our Sponsors.

Their investment helps bring together inventors, university leaders, industry partners, policymakers, students, government representatives, and research organizations from across the innovation ecosystem for four days of conversation, recognition, and collaboration in Los Angeles.

As we prepare to celebrate the Academy’s milestone 15th Annual Conference, we are deeply grateful for our Sponsors’ support of research-driven innovation and inventors.

A shrimp that strikes faster than a bullet leads to advanced aerospace and automotive technologies. Who would have imagined!

Watch the latest episode of "From Campus to Commerce" to discover how researchers at the University of California, Riverside used biomimicry and the mantis shrimp’s biological design to develop advanced composite materials that are lighter, stronger, and more efficient.

Produced by the National Academy of Inventors, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), From Campus to Commerce explores what happens when intellectual property, commercialization, entrepreneurship, and industry come together to generate impact.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories of innovation coming soon.

Watch on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/7YyxK77M2bc

From Campus to Commerce - University of California, Riverside - Helicoid™ Technology Created at UC Riverside, Helicoid™ is developing new, durable materials that are being utilized in advanced aerospace and automotive technologies.Discover ho...

Thank you to Command Strategies, LLC for sponsoring the Military Fireside Chat & Cadet Showcase: Innovation at the Academies at the National Academy of Inventors’ 15th Annual Conference.

Command Strategies accelerates research, technology transition, and federal market growth for universities, industry, and emerging technology partners.

Their sponsorship supports important conversations around leadership, research, and innovation emerging from the nation’s military academies and honors those advancing invention and technological progress in service to national priorities.

Explore the conference agenda:
https://web.cvent.com/event/39e5f307-b5b3-45c2-a485-1f9bf2540dc4/websitePage:2bbc6094-785d-4186-92cf-6608b252a47d

For organizations seeking visibility among leaders in research, invention, and commercialization, learn more about partnership opportunities here:
https://academyofinventors.org/sponsorship-request/

Congratulations to four members of the National Academy of Inventors honored with the 2026 American Innovator Award from The Bayh-Dole Coalition

The award recognizes innovators whose federally funded work and technologies have transformed society and generated significant economic opportunity.

Honorees from the NAI community include:

— Eric R Fossum, FNAI, of Dartmouth College, recognized for co-inventing the “camera-on-a-chip,” a foundational imaging technology now used across smartphones, medical devices, automobiles, and space exploration.

— Randall Bateman, FNAI, and David Holtzman, FNAI, of Washington University in St. Louis, recognized for pioneering PrecivityAD® and PrecivityAD2™, the first blood-based diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease.

— Martin Pomper, M.D., Ph.D., SMNAI, of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, recognized for co-developing Pylarify®, an FDA-approved imaging agent that significantly improved prostate cancer detection.

“From life-saving diagnostics to technologies that power entire industries, these innovators demonstrate the extraordinary return on investment from federally funded research,” said Brian P. O'Shaughnessy, Board Chair of the Bayh-Dole Coalition. “Their work underscores why it is critical to maintain policies that promote technology transfer, protect intellectual property, and support public-private partnerships.”

Read the full Faces of American Innovation report:
https://www.bayhdolecoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Faces-of-American-Innovation-Report.pdf

Thank you to AUTM, PTIE (Promotion & Tenure — Innovation & Entrepreneurship), and VentureWell for sponsoring the Focus Group Discussion at the National Academy of Inventors’ 15th Annual Conference.

AUTM, PTIE, and VentureWell each play an important role in strengthening the systems, leadership, and institutional strategies that support invention, research translation, and commercialization.

Their sponsorship supports an important discussion focused on how universities and innovation organizations can strengthen research impact and adapt to a rapidly evolving innovation landscape.

Learn more: https://web.cvent.com/event/39e5f307-b5b3-45c2-a485-1f9bf2540dc4/summary

Organizations seeking visibility among leaders in research, invention, and commercialization can explore partnership opportunities here:
https://academyofinventors.org/sponsorship-request/

Thank you to Morehouse School of Medicine for sponsoring a Coffee Break at the National Academy of Inventors’ 15th Annual Conference.

Morehouse School of Medicine is a leading academic health institution recognized for its contributions to medical research, education, and improving community health outcomes.

Their sponsorship helps create moments throughout the conference where attendees can reconnect, exchange ideas, and continue conversations focused on strengthening research translation and invention-driven impact.

Learn more: https://web.cvent.com/event/39e5f307-b5b3-45c2-a485-1f9bf2540dc4/summary

Organizations seeking visibility among leaders in research, invention, and commercialization can explore partnership opportunities here:
https://academyofinventors.org/sponsorship-request/

As the NAI’s 15th Annual Conference fast approaches, we want to thank the University of Southern California for serving as the National Academy of Inventors’ Host Institution.

From the Welcome Reception to conversations taking place throughout the Dolby Ballroom and Loews Hollywood Hotel, USC has helped create an extraordinary setting to connect, collaborate, and innovate over four days.

We are grateful for USC’s partnership and look forward to welcoming leaders from across academia, industry, government, and the broader innovation ecosystem to Los Angeles next week.

This Memorial Day, the National Academy of Inventors honors and remembers the service members who gave their lives to defend our nation and the ideals we hold so dear.

We are grateful to those whose service helps safeguard the freedoms that make discovery possible.

Today, we pause to recognize the sacrifice, dedication, and commitment represented by this day.

Innovation has long played a vital role in national security and defense strategy.

At the NAI’s 15th Annual Conference, this fireside chat and showcase highlight how research, engineering, and academic leadership at U.S. military academies shape defense.

Moderator: Tobias Rodill, HonNAI, Managing Partner, Command Strategies, LLC

Featuring:

— Colonel Brad McCoy, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, United States Military Academy; Associate Dean of Research for the Office of Research and Academy Dean, United States Military Academy

Learn how military academies improve research engagement, advance technical innovation, and prepare next generation leaders to address complex national challenges.

Explore the full conference agenda:
https://web.cvent.com/event/39e5f307-b5b3-45c2-a485-1f9bf2540dc4/websitePage:2bbc6094-785d-4186-92cf-6608b252a47d

Thank you to the USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing for sponsoring the Innovation Exchange panel “Artificial Intelligence: Transforming Discovery and Decision Making” at the National Academy of Inventors’ 15th Annual Conference.

Bellini College is focused on advancing education, research, and leadership in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and next-generation computing technologies.

Their sponsorship supports a timely conversation examining how AI is reshaping research, decision making, intellectual property, and the future of innovation across institutions and industries.

Learn more: https://web.cvent.com/event/39e5f307-b5b3-45c2-a485-1f9bf2540dc4/summary

Organizations seeking visibility among leaders in research, invention, and commercialization can explore partnership opportunities here:
https://academyofinventors.org/sponsorship-request/